Alpha, Idaho

County Courthouse

Valley County Courthouse
219 North Main Street
Cascade, ID 83611-0737
Phone: (208) 382-4297
Fax: (208) 382-4955

County records has marriage records from 1929, and land records from 1904. County Clerk has divorce records from 1950, probate records from 1934 and court records from 1917.Template:RAOGKcourthouse

Resources

The types of records that follow are used for genealogy and family history. Most tell what you may learn and how to locate the records. Links to Internet sites usually go directly to Alpha, Idaho entries with names, images, or information.

Many of the older court, land, naturalization, probate, pension, and vital records for Valley County have been microfilmed and are available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City and through their family history centers. They are also available at the Idaho State Archives in Boise. Details of the county records in these respective institutions can be obtained from their online catalogs or listings. Original records which have been microfilmed and more recent records are in the county courthouse in Cascade.

Cemeteries

There are many cemeteries in Valley County. For a list of those that have been identified, and links to transcriptions and/or photographs of tombstones, go to Valley County, Idaho Cemetery Records.

For the cemeteries in or immediately adjacent to the cities, please see the city pages for the cities listed above.

Church

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons)

In 1930, Valley County was part of Northwestern States Mission.

• The following are local congregations (wards) which existed in Valley County, Idaho prior to 1950.
  • For original or later records, check with the Church History Library in Salt Lake City.
  • Many of the records to about 1948 are available at the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City and at its FamilySearch Centers.
• 1917--Valley County, Idaho was created 26 February 1917 from Idaho and Boise Counties.

• Cascade

County Commissioners' Records

The minute books of the County Commissioners contain interesting tidbits of history about the county as well as the names of individuals appealing to the County Commissioners for action on issues of concern to them. Minutes of those meetings were recorded from the formation of the county, for most counties. Some counties now post the minutes of current meetings online.

Most of these records have been preserved in the county courthouses of the State of Idaho. Few have been microfilmed. Contact the county clerk for information about years covered and availability.

Court Records

Some of the early court records of Valley County, Idaho have been microfilmed and are available at the Idaho State Archives in Boise, Idaho. The records filmed include civil suits, divorce papers, judgment dockets, etc. Copies of these microfilmed court records are also available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah or at any of the Library's Family History Centers. Additional court records and more recent records are housed at the Valley County courthouse in Cascade, and can be accessed by making a visit there.

Some of the records of the courts of Valley County that have been microfilmed include:

• County records, 1917-1937 Idaho. District Court (Valley County)
• Register of action, 1917-1934 Idaho. Probate Court (Valley County)

Judgment Books

• Judgment index Idaho. County Court (Valley County)
• Judgment record, 1892-1925 Idaho. District Court (Valley County)

Directories

The IIdaho State Archives has in its collections copies of city, county, state and regional directories.

Land and Property

Land and Property records are generally recorded in the county courthouse of the county in which the transaction took place. For original records of Valley County, Idaho, one may visit the courthouse in Cascade, Idaho.

The Idaho State Archives has microfilmed many deeds, homestead records, etc., of Valley County , and these can be accessed by visiting the Archives in Boise, Idaho.

Some land records have been microfilmed by the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah and are available for viewing there or at any of the Library's Family History Centers.

Maps

• A digital Valley County Idaho map is available online.
• Map of Valley County, Idaho is available online.

Military

World War I draft registration cards, 1917-1918, for Valley County have been microfilmed. Copies of these records are available at the Family History Library (their microfilm number 1452224) and are also available online at Ancestry.com, for a subscription fee. The original cards are maintained in the Southeast Regional Archives of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in East Point, Georgia and have been microfilmed by the National Archives as their Microcopy M1509.

Miscellaneous Series

Often overlooked by the genealogist, this group of volumes may contain affidavits for citizenship, final disposition of estates, divorce decrees, and many other types of valuable documents. The content varies from county to county, year to year and from clerk to clerk. When the estate case files, civil or criminal files are not available or have been destroyed, you may find key documents recorded here. Most counties will have an index to this series and it is a must search if the information you are seeking is not found elsewhere.  The following Valley County records have been microfilmed and are available for viewing at the Valley County courthouse in Cascade, Idaho or at the Idaho State Archives in Boise, Idaho:

• Index to Misc. Records, Book 1 1879-1973 Court
• Transcribed Miscellaneous Records, Idaho County, Book 1, pp 1-149 (con't on Valley-2/1) 1888-1903 Court
• Transcribed Miscellaneous Records, Idaho County, Book 1, pp 150-472 (con't from Valley-1/5) 1901-1903 Court
• Miscellaneous Record, Book 1 1879-1917 Court
• Miscellaneous Record, Book 2 1917-1925 Court
• Miscellaneous Record, Book 3 1917-1924 Court
• Miscellaneous Record, Book 4

The Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah also has microfilmed copies of these Miscellaneousrecords which can be viewed at the Library in Salt Lake City and at any of its Family History Centers.

Newspapers

Current

• Cascade Advocate
• Star - News

Historical

The Idaho State Archives has issues of many Idaho Newspapers in its collections.

Pension Records

Mothers' Pensions were provided by the State of Idaho for widows and/or orphans, under certain conditions. Petitions for those pensions were filed with the probate court in each county. The original papers for several counties have been transferred to the Idaho State Archives in Boise and have been indexed. Valley County Mothers' Pensions are included in that index. This index is available online.
Microfilmed copies of these records are available at the Idaho State Archives in Boise, Idaho and at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah or at any of the Library's Family History Centers.  

Probate

Some early Probate records for Valley County have been microfilmed by the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, and are available for viewing at their Library in Salt Lake or at any of their Family History Centers.   The Idaho State Archives has also made copies of early Valley County records which can be viewed at their facility.

For more recent or other probate records, it is suggested that you visit the Valley County courthouse in Cascade.

Taxation

Any existing tax assessment rolls for Valley County should be in the courthouse in Cascade and would need to be accessed by visiting there.

 

Vital Records

Birth

There is more detailed information on where to access Idaho birth records at this website.

See also Idaho Vital Records.

Marriage

Over 600 marriages, 1917-1939, are listed on the Western States Marriage Index.

See also Idaho Vital Records

Death

See also Idaho Vital Records

Societies and Libraries

Many public libraries provide internet access to sites of value to the family historian. Some have special collections of historical and cultural interest, as well. The following libraries may have some resources of value, but use of some or all of them may require a visit to the library.

• Cascade Public Library
  105 N Front St
  Cascade, ID 83611
  Phone: (208) 382-4757
• Mccall Public Library
  218 E Park St
  Mccall, ID 83638
  Phone: (208) 634-5522
  Website
• Valley County Genealogy Society and Cascade Public Library
• Central Idaho Historical Museum‎
  1001 State Street, Mccall, ID 83638-3705
  (208) 634-4497‎
• Valley County Museum
  ‎13131 Farm to Market Road, Donnelly, ID 83615
  (208) 325-8628‎
  

Family Hstory Centers

• Introduction to LDS Family History Centers
• Cascade Idaho Family History Center
• McCall Idaho Family History Center

Web Sites

• The Valley County ID GenWeb Project, a member of The IDGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project
• Family History Library Catalog
• Valley County, Idaho Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)